Drive mechanism for a fishing reel

ABSTRACT

A dual speed fishing reel having a housing with a spool on a spool shaft, a driven gear on the spool shaft and having a low speed pinion and a high speed pinion, a drive shaft, a low speed drive gear for engaging the low speed pinion and a high speed drive gear for engaging the high speed pinion, with the drive gears carried on the drive shaft, with one of the drive gears fixed to the drive shaft for rotation by the drive shaft and with the other of the drive gears riding on the drive shaft independent of rotation of the drive shaft, with the high speed drive gear engageable with the low speed drive gear, and a gear shift for moving the low speed drive gear into and out of engagement with the high speed drive gear.  
     Also first and second braking surfaces on opposite ends of the spool, first and second brake pads for engaging the first and second braking surfaces, respectively, with the first brake pad mounted on the spool shaft for axial translation with the spool shaft, with the second brake pad mounted on the spool shaft with the spool shaft axially moveable relative to the second brake pad, and with the spool shaft translating to bring the first brake pad into braking engagement with the first braking surface and to bring the second braking surface into braking engagement with the second brake pad. In one embodiment the spool shaft rotates and in a second embodiment the spool shaft does not rotate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/850,180, filed May 7, 2001, issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,505,787, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/538,110, filed Mar. 29, 2000, the entire disclosure of such priorapplication is hereby incorporated herein by reference, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/008,933, filed Jan.20, 1998, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,316, and which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/818,763filed Mar. 14, 1997, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to fishing reels and in particular to atwo speed fishing reel with a new and improved shift mechanism formoving between a high speed operation and a low speed operation, and toa braking or drag system with new and improved braking operation.

[0003] Fishing reels with two speeds and some form of gear shifting andfishing reels with various drag constructions are well known. See forexample U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,560,118; 4,867,392; 5,297,756; and 5,454,526.

[0004] In such prior designs when the braking or drag force is appliedto one side of the spool, a significant torque load can be applied tothe spool. Distortion problems occur when line is pulled on the side ofthe spool opposite the brake. This results in less braking efficiencyand heating of the reel, with uneven and faster wear. Accordingly, it isan object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fishingreel with braking at both ends of the spool, while utilizing theconventional drag lever for operation by the fisherman to control thedrag.

[0005] Earlier shift mechanisms in fishing reels have some problems withthe quickness to change gears. One prior reel uses the movement of thewhole handle mechanism from left to right to change gears. This canprove to be slow and difficult when the excitement of fishing is addedinto the equation. Another prior reel uses a push button to change tolow gear. But the release button for switching back to high gear is inan awkward position. Also, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a new and improved fishing reel with two speed shifting whichovercomes these disadvantages.

[0006] Other objects, advantages, features and results will more fullyappear in the course of the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A dual speed fishing reel having a housing with a spool on aspool shaft, a driven gear on the spool shaft, the driven gear having alow speed pinion and a high speed pinion, and including means forengaging the spool in driving relation, a drive shaft, a low speed drivegear for engaging the low speed pinion and a high speed drive gear forengaging the high speed pinion, with the drive gears carried on thedrive shaft, with one of the drive gears fixed to the drive shaft forrotation by the drive shaft and with the other of the drive gears ridingon the drive shaft independent of rotation of the drive shaft, the highspeed drive gear having means for engaging the low speed drive gear, andgear shift means for moving the low speed drive gear into and out ofengagement with the high speed drive gear. The reel includes means forsupporting the spool shaft in the housing for axial movement in thehousing, with the driven gears sliding and rotating on the spool shaft.

[0008] The gear shift means more specifically includes a shift rodsliding axially between a low speed position and a high speed position,spring means for urging the shift rod to one of the positions, and latchmeans for latching the shift rod in the other of the positions, andincluding means for releasing the shift rod for movement by the springmeans to the one position. Preferably the low speed gear is carried onthe shift rod for translation with the shift rod into and out of drivingengagement with the high speed gear, and the drive shaft and low speedgear include interengaging means for rotating the low speed gear withthe drive shaft when the low speed gear is moved axially by the shiftrod relative to the drive shaft.

[0009] The reel of the invention also may include first and secondbraking surfaces on opposite ends of the spool, first and second brakepads for engaging the first and second braking surfaces, respectively,means for mounting the first brake pad on the spool shaft for axialtranslation with the spool shaft, means for mounting the second brakepad on the spool shaft with the spool shaft axially moveable relative tothe second brake pad, and means for translating the spool shaft to bringthe first brake pad into braking engagement with the first brakingsurface of the spool and to bring the second braking surface of thespool into braking engagement with the second brake pad.

[0010] The braking arrangement more specifically includes a drag levercarried in the housing for actuation by the fisherman, a first cammember carried on the spool shaft for moving the spool shaft axially,and a second cam member carried on the drag lever for engagement withthe first cam member, with the cam members engageable with each otherfor converting rotational motion of the drag lever into axial motion ofthe spool shaft for moving the brake pads in to and out of engagementwith the spool braking surfaces.

[0011] The braking construction may also use compression springs on thespool shaft for equalizing axial loads. In one embodiment ananti-rotation pin on the spool shaft prevents shaft rotation whilepermitting shaft translation. A one-way roller clutch may be usedbetween the spool shaft and one of the brake pads for permittingrotation of the brake pad in only one direction. An anti-reverse dog maybe used with the other of the brake pads to permit rotation of the brakepad in only one direction. Two drag levers may be used for coarse andfine control of the braking action. In another embodiment the spoolshaft rotates as well as translating, and the anti-rotation pin androller clutch are omitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is an end view of a fishing reel incorporating thepresently preferred embodiments of the invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1, incorporating a spool shaft which translates but does notrotate;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing the reel withone braking surface engaged;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the reel withboth braking surfaces engaged;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a partial view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing thereel with the low speed drive gear engaged for high speed operation;

[0017]FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing the camming surface whichproduce the translation of the spool shaft;

[0018]FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 ofFIG. 6; and

[0019]FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 of another andpresently preferred embodiment in which the spool shaft rotates andtranslates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The fishing reel of the invention includes a spool 11 for thefishing line, with the spool carried on a spool shaft 12 in bearings 13for rotation of the spool on the spool shaft. The spool shaft is mountedin a housing or cage 14 in a bearing 15 adjacent one end of the shaftand in a bearing 16 in a driven gear 17 which in turn is mounted in abearing 18 in the housing. In this embodiment the spool shaft translatesalong the longitudinal axis of the spool shaft, but does not rotate inthe housing. A pin 19 in the left end of the spool shaft 12 slides in anotch 20 in the housing end cap 14a to prevent rotation of the spoolshaft.

[0021] A drag lever 21 is mounted on the housing for rotation relativeto the housing for adjusting the drag on the fishing line carried on thespool. Rotation of the drag lever clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 producestranslation of the spool shaft 12 to the fight as viewed in FIG. 2. Thismotion is accomplished by the construction shown in greater detail inFIGS. 6 and 7.

[0022] A brake pad 30 with a support plate 31 is carried on a sleeve 32which rides on the bearing 15. A one-way roller clutch 35 is mounted onthe spool shaft 12 in the sleeve 32 to permit rotation of the sleeve inonly one direction. A disc 33 is positioned between the bearing 15 andthe roller clutch 25 and rides in a slot in the spool shaft 12. Thebrake pad and support plate are maintained in position on the sleevebetween a shoulder of the sleeve and a snap ring 34.

[0023] A similar brake pad 37 with support plate 38 is mounted on thedriven gear 17 and held in place by another snap ring 39. Ananti-reverse dog 40 is carried in the other housing end cap 14 b on apin 40 a. This dog engages the driven gear 17 to permit rotation of thesleeve in only one direction.

[0024] Translation of the spool shaft to the right from the position ofFIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3 brings the brake pad 30 into engagementwith a braking surface of the spool 11. Translation of the spool shaft12 to the right also moves the spool 11 to the right from the positionof FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4, bringing another spool brakingsurface into engagement with the brake pad 37, the spool being moved tothe right by the engagement of the brake pad 30 with the spool.Balancing compression springs 65 and 66 are positioned on the spoolshaft 12 between bearings 13 and 15 adjacent one end of the spool andbetween bearings 13 and 16 adjacent the other end of the spool. Withthis arrangement, braking forces are applied at both ends of the spoolon the line being unreeled off the spool by the fish, thereby achievinga balance of loads on the spool. With this dual braking configurationthere is equal pressure on the spool from each side. This arrangementalso reduces or eliminates distortion of the spool and of the reelhousing when line is pulled off at either side of the spool.

[0025] When the fish is running line off the spool, the spool isrotating in the direction shown by the arrow 42 in FIG. 3. Moving thedrag lever 21 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 and as shown by the arrow 42in FIG. 3 causes the spool shaft 12 to move to the right as shown by thearrow 43. This increases the drag on the line. Conversely, moving thedrag lever in the opposite direction reduces the force which moves thespool shaft to the left and therefore the braking force at the brakepads, and reduces the drag on the fishing line.

[0026] The mechanism for translating the spool shaft 12 by rotating thelever 21 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. A cam pin carrier 72 is mounted onthe housing end cap 14 b with a hexagonal opening 73 fitting on ahexagonal pin 74 of the end cap 14 b.

[0027] An annular cam member 76 has a notch 81 for a cam pin 77 carriedon the carrier 72. The cam member 76 has a varying thickness, as seen inFIG. 7, serving as a cam surface for engaging the pins 77. The cammember 76 fits in an opening 83 of the lever 21, with shoulders 84 ofthe lever engaging notches 85 of the cam member for rotation of the cammember by the lever. A washer 78 is positioned between the end cap 14 band the lever 21. The spool shaft 12 passes through the cam pin carrier72, and the carrier bears against a retainer ring 79, with an E-clip 79a riding in a groove 80 of the shaft. Translation of the spool shaft isproduced by rotation of the lever 21 which rotates the cam member 76which translates the carrier 72 which translates the retainer 79 and theshaft 12 to the right, against the prings 65 and 66.

[0028] The lever 21 provides for fine adjustment of the drag. A secondlever 71 may be used to provide for coarse adjustment of the drag. Thelever 71 has internal flats (not shown), and a ring 87 with matingexternal flats 88 fits within the opening of the lever. The ring 87 hasa threaded internal opening for positioning the ring as the threadedextension of the cam pin carrier 72. Rotation of the lever 71 producesaxial translation of the cam pin carrier 72 and of the spool shaft 12.

[0029] An alternative and presently preferred embodiment of the reel isshown in FIG. 8, where components corresponding to those of theembodiment of FIGS. 2-7 are identified by the same reference numerals.In this embodiment the spool shaft 91 rotates within the housing as wellas translating. This embodiment includes a drag washer cap 92, a piniongear bushing 93, a tension cam 94, and a tension cam washer 95. Theshaft 91 has parallel flat surfaces 96 at the left end for slidinglyreceiving the drag washer cap 92, with a snap ring 97 in a groove in thecap 92 for holding the brake pad 30 and support plate 31 in place. Asimilar pair of flats are provided on the shaft 91 at the location ofthe pinion gear bushing 93, which has an internal opening for slidingonto the flats.

[0030] The tension cam 94 is substituted for the cam pin carrier 72,with the cam 94 also carrying the opposed pins 77. The tension camwasher 95 is added for supporting a bearing 98 for the end of the shaft91. The roller clutch is omitted.

[0031] With the construction of FIG. 8, the shaft translates andfunctions in the same manner as does the shaft of the embodiment ofFIGS. 2-7.

[0032] With the construction of the embodiment of FIG. 2, 100% brakepressure is applied when the fish pulls line off the reel. When theoperator turns the handle to reel in the line, only 50% drag isasserted. This occurs because the roller clutch rolls forward when lineis reeled in, while when line goes out, the roller clutch locks for morebraking pressure. With the construction of the embodiment of FIG. 8, theshaft rotates with the left side of the drag also exerting pressure whenthe handle is cranked.

[0033] In the FIG. 8 embodiment the reel operates with the spool shaftrotating. When the fisherman wants to reel in a fish, he pushes thelever 21 clockwise. When the lever is moved the spool shaft 12 moves tothe right sliding through pinion bushing 93 and the cam mechanism. Thisengages both braking pads against the spool. The fisherman then cranksthe handle clockwise which then turns the spool 11 counterclockwisereeling the fish.

[0034] When the fisherman wants to unreel the fishing reel he must pushthe lever 21 counterclockwise which will release the spool shaft 12 tothe left. This will release the brake pads 37 and 30 from the spool 11.The spool is now free to move clockwise to let line out of the reel.This reel is now in “free-spool”. “Free-spool” is the condition when thespool has no pressure from the brake pads and can move clockwise orcounterclockwise.

[0035] The driven gear 17 includes a low speed pinion 44 and a highspeed pinion 45. The gear shift mechanism includes a low speed gear 46and a high speed gear 47, with the low speed gear engageable with thelow speed pinion and the high speed gear engageable with the high speedpinion. A drive shaft 48 is mounted in the housing 14 and is driven inrotation by a handle 49. The low speed gear 46 is carried on the driveshaft 48 by a fitting 50 which translates on the drive shaft in a slot51. The high speed gear 47 is supported on the drive shaft 49 butrotates freely on the drive shaft.

[0036] In the condition shown in FIG. 2, with the low speed gear 46engaging the low speed pinion 44, clockwise rotation of the handle 49 asviewed in FIG. 1, rotates the drive shaft 48 in the direction shown bythe arrow 52 of FIG. 2 and rotates the spool 11 in the direction shownby the arrow 53, winding line onto the spool.

[0037] The low speed gear 46 with the fitting 50 is driven in rotationby the drive shaft 48. Also, the low speed gear and fitting are mountedon a shift rod or push rod 55 between a spring 53 and another spring 54.The spring 53 is positioned between the closed or left end of the driveshaft and the fitting 50, and the spring 54 is positioned between thefitting 50 and a snap ring 56 on the push rod 55. See FIG. 5.

[0038] The push rod 55 is maintained in the low speed position of FIG. 2by engagement of a plate 57 with a notch or groove between the head 58and the body of the push rod. A spring 59 carried in a shroud 60positioned around the head 58 of the push rod urges the plate 57 to theup position as shown in FIG. 2. A downward push on the plate 57, asshown in FIG. 5, compresses the spring 59, moving the plate out ofengagement with the push rod and permitting the spring 53 to move thepush rod to the right as shown in FIG. 5. Another snap ring 61 on thepush rod engages a screw in the drive shaft 48 to limit movement of thepush rod to the right. Another screw 62 holds the handle 49 onto thedrive shaft 48.

[0039] This movement to the right of the push rod pulls the low speedgear 46 out of engagement with the low speed pinion 44, and intoengagement with an internal gear 63 formed in the high speed gear 45.This now permits driving of the high speed gear by the handle 49, thedrive shaft 48 and the low speed gear 46 to rotate the driven gearthrough the high speed pinion 45.

[0040] Fingers 64 of the driven gear engage the brake pad 37 forrotating the brake pad and applying a rotational torque to the spool forwinding line onto the spool.

[0041] When the operator desires to return to the low speed drivecondition, the push rod is pushed to the left by pressure on the head 58compressing the springs 54 and 53 and moving the low speed gear 46 outof engagement with the high speed gear 47, and into engagement with thelow speed pinion 44. When the notch at the head 58 of the push rod movesinward to the position of the plate 57, the spring 48 moves the plateupward into engagement with the notch, holding the push rod in the lowsped position of FIG. 2. Thus, it is seen that the gear shift mechanismcan be operated by a simple push on the head 58 and a simple push on theplate 57 for shifting between high speed and low speed operations.

[0042] The shifting mechanism of the reel provides for very quick andpositive gear changes. It also gives the user a low gear change bysimply pushing the button. The high gear change is very easy because itis on the perimeter of the housing.

[0043]FIG. 3 is provided for illustrating the operation of theinvention. However, in normal operation, the spool is centered betweenthe brake pads 30 and 37 and the brake pads are engaged simultaneously.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drive mechanism for a fishing reel having aspool shaft, the drive mechanism comprising: a driven gear carried onthe spool shaft, the driven gear having a low speed pinion and a highspeed pinion; a drive shaft; a high speed gear freely rotatable on thedrive shaft, the high speed gear configured to engage the high speedpinion; and a low speed gear rotationally engaged by the drive shaft,the low speed gear configured to engage the low speed pinion, the lowspeed gear further configured to be selectively engaged with the lowspeed pinion and the high speed gear.